Holly Cupala, C.J. Omololu and I noticed something about our new young-adult novels: They all have “secret” in the title. Because of this, we’ve even begun referring to ourselves as the “Circle of Secrets!”

Secrets are a powerful force in literature: everyone has them, and the draw of finding out other people’s secrets is often irresistible. They can range from the delicious to the dangerous, the delightful to the devastating.

In DIRTY LITTLE SECRETS by C.J. Omololu, Lucy’s out-of-control hoarder mother dies suddenly in their home. Hesitant to seek help and reveal the world of garbage and shame she’s been inhabiting, Lucy begins a two-day plan to set her life right.

Holly Cupala’s TELL ME A SECRET (due out in June) centers on Miranda, who has always wondered about the secret her bad-girl sister took to the grave, and what really happened the night she died. Now, just as Miranda is on the cusp of her dreams, she has a secret of her own, and finds herself facing a choice with tremendous consequences.

Finally, my novel THE SECRET YEAR tells the story of seventeen-year-old Colt. After his secret girlfriend’s death, he finds the notebook she left behind, but he is unprepared for the truths he discovers about their intense relationship.

Books about secrets can lead readers to consider and discuss such issues as: What secrets do people have the right to keep? When should a secret be told, and by whom? What are the consequences when secrets are revealed? The characters in these and other secret-driven books struggle with such questions and choices. Often, the paths laid out in books enable readers to explore the roads not taken, to see how different options play out. Stories can show how secrets generate their own pressure and build walls between people–and how walls that at first seem protective may become unbearable.

I grew up reading books with “secret” in the title, from the Nancy Drew mystery THE SECRET IN THE OLD CLOCK (Carolyn Keene) to A SECRET FRIEND (Marilyn Sachs) to THE LONG SECRET (Louise Fitzhugh). I’ve recently added the Mitali Perkins book SECRET KEEPER to the list of books I want to read. What is your favorite “secret” read?

About The Author

I live and write in the Philadelphia area. My short fiction has appeared in literary magazines such as Willow Review and North American Review. THE SECRET YEAR is my first young-adult novel.  Read more about writerjenn.

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